West Ham United 6-2 Perth Glory
Australia Tour, Optus Stadium, Perth, Saturday 15 July 2023, 6pm AWST (11am BST)
West Ham United opened their tour of Australia with a thrilling 6-2 victory over A-League side Perth Glory at Optus Stadium on Saturday.
The goals flowed for the near 25,000 in attendance Down Under, as David Moyes’ men made it two wins from two pre-season games as preparations for the new campaign get underway.
An own goal by Glory defender Darryl Lachman got the scoring started, before a Gianluca Scamacca penalty, Jarrod Bowen’s double, Emerson’s header and Divin Mubama’s finish added to the Hammers’ tally.
Glory netted twice themselves – through an own goal from the unfortunate Luizão and Daniel Bennie – but West Ham did more than enough to claim the spoils ahead of Tuesday’s London derby with a difference against Tottenham Hotspur at the same venue.
West Ham took to an Australian field for the first time in 28 years and wasted little time in making an impression, taking the lead with just 70 seconds played.
David Moyes’ men worked the ball wide to Dan Chesters on the right, following neat interplay between Danny Ings and Pablo Fornals.
Chesters had fellow wing-back Emerson making his way to the far post and looked to pick the Italian out with a low cross. Although defender Darryl Lachman was able to prevent the pass from reaching its target, he was unable to stop his intervention from finding the back of his own net.
West Ham were pressing high up the pitch and putting their hosts under immediate pressure, and after Fornals fired over the bar from outside the box, the Spaniard was central to the move which led to the second goal with 20 minutes played.
The No8 was allowed to race onto a through ball from deep and looked set to score himself until defender John Koutroumbis bundled him over. A simple decision for referee Alireza Faghani to make and Scamacca did the rest with a coolly taken penalty.
Despite the double blow, Perth Glory picked themselves up and began to create opportunities as they sought a route back into the contest.
With 22 minutes on the clock their skipper Adam Taggart passed up a glorious chance to pull one back, dragging wide of the target after being fed inside the box by Trent Ostler.
The same player was denied by a reflex stop by Łukasz Fabiański five minutes before the break, having his powerful header following a cross from the right pushed aside by the No1.
Scamacca could have had a second of the evening when he intercepted a loose pass from goalkeeper Oliver Sail, but lifted his shot a fraction too high.
It was the A-League side who had the last word before the break, getting the goal their play warranted when Stefan Colakovski raced clear down the right and sent over a cross which the unfortunate Luizão could only divert past Fabiański as he tried to intercept.
Both teams traded chances as the second half started at a lightning pace. First Glory’s Joel Anasmo really should have scored, but was denied by Fabiański after a flowing move ended with Daniel Bennie crossing for his teammate.
Then, seconds later, Fornals was played clean through by Flynn Downes’ incisive pass, but had his route to goal blocked by goalkeeper Cameron Cook.
The Hammers did make their next chance count though, as Emerson sent a searching low ball into the box in the 55th minute and Bowen darted to the near post to net with a delightful flick.
The duo combined again to devastating effect 14 minutes later as Bowen turned provider this time, crossing perfecting for an unmarked Emerson to nod into the roof of the net.
Perth Glory did not let their heads drop and scored their second of the evening shortly afterwards, Bennie showing real composure to place his shot beyond Joseph Anang’s dive after a sharp passing move ended with the Glory man in space just inside the box.
Fornals struck the post as the Hammers searched for a fifth, and that goal did come nine minutes from time with a strike crafted in the Academy.
Chesters played a lovely one-two with Kamarai Swyer to reach the by-line and stand up a cross for Mubama to slam a header home.
The scoring was not done there either as Bowen completed a fine personal 45 minute display with the sixth, sweeping home after Aaron Cresswell got in down the left to cross low in the 86th minute.
West Ham United: Fabiański (Anang 71), Laing, Zouma (Ogbonna 46), Luizão (Cresswell 46), Emerson (Swyer 71), Downes (Earthy 71), Potts, Chesters, Fornals, Scamacca (Bowen 46), Ings (Mubama 46)
Subs: Knightbridge (GK), Coventry
Goals: Lachman og 2, Scamacca pen 20, Bowen 55, 86, Emerson 69, Mubama 81
Booked: Downes
Perth Glory: Sail (Cook 46), Koutroumbis (Bodnar 46), McEneff (Beevers 46), Khelifi (Zimarino 30), Elsey (Ivanovic 46), Colli (Bennie 46), Taggart © (Najekodunmi 46), Ostler (Lebib 46),, Lachman (Overy 46), Forde (Pearman 46), Colakovski (Anasmo 46)
Subs: Tsukamato, Sutherland
Goals: Luizão og 45, Bennie 73
Booked: Koutroumbis
Referee: Alireza Faghani
Attendance: 24,723
